The Land of the Rising Sun
It's hard to get started on writing blog posts again after not keeping up with it for so long. Like absurdly hard. Nonetheless it's a task worthy of my time. Now I just need to choose a decent starting point. The present is as good of an option as any so we'll begin in the here & now. I live in Japan although the locals know it as Nippon. The Land of the Rising Sun. What strikes me as most different is the culture. America is notorious for being an individualistic country; Japan is collectivist . Everyone here is polite regardless of how they may feel about you. The nature is lush: from the mountains to the beaches, there is a strong sense of universal oneness with the world which surrounds the people. Shortly after my arrival I found out that I advanced in rank from E-4 (Petty Officer 3rd Class) to E-5 (Petty Officer 2nd Class). In the Navy that's considered one of the most significant transitions in a sailor's career. My new found rank came coupled wit...